What can a little paint do?

When we had our original home inspection before closing on our house last year, the inspector told us that we'd want to paint the solid wood garage door before winter (last winter) since the paint was chipping and we didn't want the door to rot.

Well...we didn't get to it last Fall. With weekends filling up with birth classes and baby showers, the clock was winding down to colder weather (not to mention the arrival of a baby) so Chris and Craig, his dad, tackled the job last Thursday.

Chris and I had picked up paint chips on Monday but hadn't gotten around to picking the color to match the house trim before I had to leave for work on Thursday morning. My control freak personality was having a hard time not having input on the color choice...but I let it go. And Chris picked the perfect match - Dutch Boy's Antique White. How fitting, Dutch paint for a couple of Hollanders.

The "before"...

Craig cutting in the panels...

Half done...the new color is quite a bit creamier.

Can't forget the trim...which Chris can paint easily from a 4 ft. ladder...it helps to be tall!

Looks like a brand-spanking new door! All for about $35. Nice on the budget and necessary!

Labor Day Weekend...Operation TV.

Projects have been moving slow around here...kind of like me. And they've been even slower getting on the blog. I've been a slacker. My brother even called me out on it.  

Over the Labor Day weekend, we...finally got TV. We have a TV...it just hadn't been hooked up to cable or an anntena since we moved in (over a year ago). Instead, we got by watching shows and a limited amount of sporting events online (insert frustrated husband here). We really wanted to avoid paying for cable so Chris researched the best options for anntenas based on our location/direction from Chicago and order all the parts for about $150.

So all the parts and my parents arrived just in time for the Labor Day weekend. Last Labor Day weekend, we were sanding and refinishing the living/dining room floors all weekend. This project proved to be a "bit" less work.



1. Get up on the roof...with all the parts.



2. Assemble antenna without falling off roof.

3. Run antenna cable down roof, seal around fasteners and run through basement window.

4. Run antenna cable to TV and enjoy...football. (Lions/Bears game)

We even had time to check out the Kane County Flea Market over the weekend...after we watched some TV.  

 

Domestication...

Chris' sister, Kelly, spent the Fourth of July weekend with us and we got downright domestic. There is an enormous cherry tree in Chris' parents backyard which provides quite the bounty of tart cherries. So Kelly taught me how to make and can cherry jam...which was foreign to me. 

 

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of the process of making jam...for a few reasons. First of all, we were in our pajamas still. Second of all, it was messy. And third, it was 900 degrees in the kitchen with the stove on and we just wanted to 'er done. 

Thanks to Google, I found a quick and easy cherry cobbler recipe to use up the rest of the cherries. It was darn good if I do say so myself. 

Other than being really hot, this domestic thing is pretty fun...especially when you have a sister to teach you some new tricks!

A Nice Breeze and My New Favorite Place

The front porch. It's my new favorite room. Over Memorial Day weekend, Chris and Jack took on the task of putting in all fourteen screens and taking out the fourteen windows. Easy job? You might think so. But you'd be wrong.

 

When we closed on the house, the previous owner's son warned us to follow the numbers on the windows since they were not all the exact same size. But what he didn't say (or may not have realized) was that the numbers were painted over when the screens were last repainted, making it a really big...um, puzzle. 

Trying to find the perfect fit...

Three down, only eleven to go. Only eleven. 

Carolyn helping push out the glass windows to Chris. 

Eleven down, three to go. 

And, the screens are all in. Just before the rain started. 

Jack with his magic paint pen...re-numbering all the windows and screens to make sure the "puzzle" isn't quite as tricky at the end of the season. Smart, smart man.

We provided moral support and lunch, served on the now breezy porch.

I love the porch. Since the screens went in, I have spent hours reading mystery novels on the loveseat in the summer breeze. Now you know where to find me this summer. The front porch.

The Cooler Side of Life

So, life here in the Midwest had been pretty toasty lately. Downright stifling. People ask "Don't you have central air?" My response "Hahahaha." We have boiler heat through radiators so there isn't the duct work for central air. Our humble abode came equipped with two large air-conditioning units - one in the living room window and one upstairs built into the wall of the future baby's room. Not a one in our bedroom. And this is not the summer for sleeping in the heat...due to being my own oven with a bun inside.

Memorial Day Solution? Home Depot + parents visiting = project. 

Got to love Home Depot... 

and Chris and Jack who install new a/c units in your bedroom!

 Making sure it stays on the second floor is always good!

Nice work guys! Now, you may have noticed, the only problem is the 48" wide blind stops above the a/c unit...leaving plenty of window, um, very visible.  I temporarily taped paper in the gap because, hey, it works. Looks terrible (except that it's cute scrapbooking paper) and I'll probably head out to look for two separate blinds to fit this weekend. But honestly, it depends how much the taped-paper look really gets to me. 

When we were at the great Home Depot, my pops decided they were going to purchase a lil' unit for the "guest room"...which he and my mom were going to be inhabiting that night. Maybe they did not want a sauna experience. Either way, we were happy about it! 

By now, Chris and Jack are pros at a/c unit installation.

Third time's a charm. This one is actually the third unit they've teamed up on. The first one was in the heat of the summer in our 450 square foot apartment in Champaign, IL.

 Well, you have to make sure it works right? 

Just for the record, we do not put everybody to work that comes to visit us...just a few lucky ones. And, they offered.

Weeds, Weeds & More Weeds

Ugh, weeds. Plural. Thriving in the disaster of the "landscaped" area next to the stone patio/terrace under the Maple tree in the backyard. 

 

 

This picture was taken a few weeks ago so you'll have to use your imagination to picture how weed-infested it was. Um, because I forgot to take a true "before" picture. Doh!

 

While Chris and Craig got to work on installing the garage door opener, Shari offered her assistance for weed-removal and I took it. For about 1-2 hours. We did some serious damage!

 

 Let the wild muddy rumpus begin...remember all that rain we got (and in the basement)?

Weed bouquet anyone? Look at all the baby Maple trees trying to grow in the Vinca vine...

And now, notice the lack of baby trees...Thank you, Shari! 

I found a baby walnut tree...where the heck are the walnuts from??

Isn't that kinda cool? I obviously thought so. 

After helping rid the darn Lily of the Valley (which we have in spades), Shari helped transplant some...um...I think she said they were Black Eyed Susans. 

Much improved, made satisfactory progress, and so on. It was a job I had been trying to avoid but went a lot faster with some help!

After our weeding adventure, Shari and I made a quick trip to Costco and I snagged some instant curb-appeal improvement (the hanging basket) for a mere $17.99. Now, I just have to remember to water it...regularly. 

I also got to put some of our new tools to work today. After watching Chris balance enormous Hostas on borrowed shovel while carrying them to the desired transplant spot, it became clear a wheelbarrow was needed in our garden tool repertoire... since, ahem, the neighbors don't have one (but we'll share). So with the money from our garage sale, Chris and I bought a bright orange steel wheelbarrow and shovel at the good ole' Home Depot.

Garage Project #2 : New Garage Door Opener

Who got hooked up with a new garage door opener this morning? 

This girl. This very happy girl and her very tired but happy husband.

The father-son duo stepped up to tackle Garage Project #2: Install new garage door opener. 

 Since our garage has a solid-wood door (read: fun to lift when the old opener died), we had to get a heavy-duty 3/4 HP opener. 

In about 3 hours, Chris and Craig got us hooked up. Down with the old, busted dinosaur and up with the new, functional system. 

Ain't it pretty? You should hear it...or try to hear it. The "Whisper-drive" system is no joke. It's as quiet as a...well you know, those rodents that make me scream and jump on tall things. 

It's got a laser beam to show you how far into the garage to park...pretty fancy.

This is the best safety feature which our last model lacked...the "eyes" on each side of the door that will automatically stop the door if something or someone gets in the way of the closing garage door. And, remember the darn thing is solid wood. No smooshed tools, bikes or people. Makes me happy. 

And...Chris' favorite feature. Dual openers. He gets one for his car now. Guess who's on cloud nine? As the gentleman he is, he gave me the one and only opener for the last opener. It's also got a wireless keypad on the outside of the garage...gone are my days of balancing coffee cups, purses and lunches while trying to maneuver lifting the garage door.

An attempt to turn (or keep) a new leaf green.

Keri: "Did you notice that plant was dry and dying?"

Chris: "Yeah." 

Keri: "Um, then why didn't you water it?"

Chris: "It was a test."

Keri: "What?"

Chris: "I was waiting to see if you'd notice and water it."

Keri: "Well I didn't and it is now dead."

Chris: "Yup, you failed."

Keri: "And you are partially responsible."

Chris: "How does that work? It was your plant."

Keri: "Negligent homicide."

I'll give you one word that pretty much sums up my previous experience to date with houseplants...death. I have seen the demise of many plants in my role as caregiver to greenery...however, I'm not sure that Chris' thumbs are any greener than mine. 

In this sanity-induced hiatus from major house projects, one of my goals is to nurture my thumbs to become slightly greener ...celadon thumbs. Since it is a very light shade, my interpretation is that most things should stay alive but it lets me off the hook for a few...


There are a few reasons for my goal of nature-loving thumbs. 

 

Reason #1 & #2 (above). When Grandma Flietstra passed away at the end of last September, there was a beautiful and creative floral arrangement that was made up of a variety of potted plants. I got an African violet and the funky-leafed one (still trying to identify...possibly a variety of a Alocasia or Amazonica). I've been trying to keep them alive but was, um, failing again...they were in critical condition. That was until Grandma Versluys came down for the housewarming party last weekend, bringing along Reason #3. A ZZ Palm (below in the bright blue pot) armed with some much-needed tools for keeping plants alive, a moisture meter so you don't over water and Miracle Gro Houseplant food. Genius.

 When you look up green thumb in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of Martheen Versluys. Her ability to grow almost anything - and keep it alive - is quite amazing to me. 

She's also a fountain of knowledge about plants and caring for them. She took one look at my plants and worked her green-thumbed magic. After discovering that the African violet had 2 baby plants as well as the main plant, she guided me through how to re-pot them. 

Before we could re-pot the plants, we had to make a trip to Home Depot for some supplies like African violet potting soil, standard potting soil, a few pots...oh yeah, and another plant. Chris fell for it at first sight (below, a type of Cordyline). After receiving the expert's approval (Grandma) and swearing that it was his responsibility to care for it, it made it's way home with us...for $6.99. Home Depot was selling a slightly bigger one that came in a nice big planter - for $39 bucks. Hobby Lobby had all their planters 50% off so we picked up one for about $15 bucks. Um, deal.

 

Now, the Cordyline did not look this shiny and healthy at the store. When I agreed to take it home with us, I honestly was thinking for $6.99 it would keep Chris entertained for a few weeks until it died. 

But given 10 minutes, a soft cloth/towel, patience and a spoonful of mayonnaise, the plant looks like a million bucks. Grandma's got quiet a handful of tricks up her sleeve (above). Who would have thought mayo? Not me...but after seeing the results I'm a believer. I really hope Chris keeps this one alive. Thanks for passing on the green-thumbed knowledge, Grandma! Our plants are thanking you too...

 

Especially, the pink one. Last night, I noticed that my Gerbera daisy was taking a bow...looking a bit critical. I song line "and another one bites the dust" started playing in my head but I quickly changed the station and headed for the watering cup and Mirace Gro houseplant food Grandma had given us. I figured I might as well give it a try...and now, this morning, I am empowered. The pink Gerbera was standing up straight and looking very much alive. It might just be a rally but I'm hopeful!